Switching to sand

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
pool filter sand is great. Like all sand though, it can mess up your filter. Mine kept on getting messed up because my jurupari swim around the tank with sand in their mouths, spitting it everywhere. Sometimes some gets in the intake and i have to clean out the impeller well. The ray will definitely love the sand, but might kick some up into the intake as well. One imporant thing about sand! It allows less room for BB, and by removing so much gravel, you might kick your tank into a mini nitrogen cycle. Careful with ammonia spikes, especially with the ray. Other than that, do it! Good luck!

BTW, your new avatar is very distracting, lol
 
PoopSmart;1512533; said:
Wait pool filter sand was probabbly the easiest thing I have ever cleaned out before.


Have you ever tried cleaning a planted tank substrate? Its like trying to clean dirt.


I think pool filter is fine. Gr8karma uses it for his. I asked this question a while back. I will find the thread for you.
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no i have not cleaaned planted substrate sand
it is a nightmare to rinse compared to gravel my tank is barely getting crystal clear after a month
 
Onion01;1512555; said:
pool filter sand is great. Like all sand though, it can mess up your filter. Mine kept on getting messed up because my jurupari swim around the tank with sand in their mouths, spitting it everywhere. Sometimes some gets in the intake and i have to clean out the impeller well. The ray will definitely love the sand, but might kick some up into the intake as well. One imporant thing about sand! It allows less room for BB, and by removing so much gravel, you might kick your tank into a mini nitrogen cycle. Careful with ammonia spikes, especially with the ray. Other than that, do it! Good luck!

BTW, your new avatar is very distracting, lol
Click to expand...


Onion your dancing domo-kun avatar is much more distracting! I am intranced by it everytime I see it. Its almost as distracting as gr8karma's.


But a very good point. If you have power filters watch the intake depth, raise it to the top if possible. If you have a canister all the sand will just settle in the bottom of the canister before reaching the impeler so you are safe.
 
Brent;1512576; said:
no i have not cleaaned planted substrate sand
it is a nightmare to rinse compared to gravel my tank is barely getting crystal clear after a month
Click to expand...


I think its called laterite or flourite. My water was coffee colored for more than 2-3 months before I just gave up and thre it in the garbage ($50 in the can).

Pool filter is very neat and clean especially in comparison to play sand.
 
PoopSmart;1512588; said:
Onion your dancing domo-kun avatar is much more distracting! I am intranced by it everytime I see it. Its almost as distracting as gr8karma's.


But a very good point. If you have power filters watch the intake depth, raise it to the top if possible. If you have a canister all the sand will just settle in the bottom of the canister before reaching the impeler so you are safe.
Click to expand...

I have a fluval Fx5, I think the impeller is on the bottom? Should this be a problem?

Thanks for the tip about the BB onion! I would not have thought of that. Silly me!

And your avatar is more distracting!
 
oh, fx5 should be fine. And there is no way that my avatar is more distracting than yo...you...your...homina homina homina homina
 
;)
 
cszachury;1512688; said:
I have a fluval Fx5, I think the impeller is on the bottom? Should this be a problem?

Thanks for the tip about the BB onion! I would not have thought of that. Silly me!

And your avatar is more distracting!
Click to expand...

Sounds like you guys have it covered. I currently have two FX5's on my tank with pool filter sand. Havent had any problems, only suggestion I would make would be to shorten your intake tubes so that its less likely to suck up the sand. I keep mine towards the top of the water line (noticed your intake is really low). Thus far I have had ZERO sand in my filters!

:)

ohhh ya how does that little convict even stay alive in your tank with the ray? :screwy:
 
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